Egypt was our strategic reserve. I think there are as many M1 tanks in storage over there as there are in active service with the US Army.

Not quite that many, but they certainly have a good number of them. They are not 'top-of-the-line' models but if given adequate maintenance they are good tanks.

However, speaking from personal experience, I can tell you that a HUGE percentage of those tanks are below standard condition, or even inoperable, due to the traditional Egyptian/Islamic attitude towards Preventive Maintenance. In other words, 'if God wantss the tank to work, it will work'. Back in the late 90s I saw perfectly good tanks roll out of the assembly facility in Egypt (they assembled them from US_made kits), only to reappear at the depot a month later on a trailer, completely inoperable, because the locals did no PM and actually removed the dust screen from the intakes because it kept clogging.

15 posted on 07/01/2013 8:15:08 AM PDT by AzSteven
("War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." Jean Dutourd)

Not quite what it might seem-—The Egypts have a license to manufacture their own M1 Abrams and so far they have made something over 750. The ones they make are diesel, not turbine powered, and don’t have run-and-shoot capability. The few that we’ve given them also don’t have the good options. And remember this: as good as they might be they are no match for the Israeli 155’s. Egyption Abrams will never leave Egypt.